'05 Silverado 1500 4x4

Shawn McCormack Vieira · January 30, 2020

hello,

We have a. 05 Silverado with about 182,000 miles on it. We bought it used about 6 years ago with about 82,000 miles on it. Recently took it to the dealership locally and they recommended a transfer case service. Along with a couple of other things. This truck has NEVER given us an ounce of trouble, no leaks, major issues or anything. Now it is leaking fluid. Took it back to dealership where they put it up on the rack and they said it is coming from the oil pan and rear seal, which they had previously recommend repairing. Fine. Drove it for about an hour, parked it, came out and there was a puddle under it about the size of a lemon, husband check the color on it and it's blue oil. Not sure if I want to go back to the local dealership and see if they will repair it or take it down the hill to another dealership. I'm just pissed that they have now got my truck leaking. Is this a common occurrence after servicing a transfer case?

davester · January 30, 2020

Where is the oil coming from? Is it from the engine, transmission, or transfer case?

If it is from the transfer case, it could be anything from one of the plugs not being tightened down enough, or being tightened too much and cracking the case, to the case having the "gm pump rub" hole in it, and the case being slightly overfilled so it runs out the hole, or something else.

It's not common, but the problem may or may not be related something the dealership did.

Doug_Scott · January 30, 2020

I would take it back to the place that did the work.

Check your owners manual service schedule for the service you had done. Is it even listed? From your post it sounds like they simply changed the oil, was that all they did?

Automatic transmissions will over time create a varnish like coating over the surface of the case and components inside the case. It is not uncommon for the simple act of draining all the transmission fluid, changing the filter, and putting new transmission fluid into the transmission, to cause the transmission to start leaking out of one of the seals due to the new fluid dissolving the varnish that was on the inside of the seal and outside of shaft. I have also seen it split a long lip seal in the front clutch servo, preventing a gear to engage. Wouldn't surprise me if the same condition could occur in a transfer case.

garagerog · January 30, 2020

I have an 05 K1500 and I can almost guarantee you that the blue fluid you're seeing is Auto-Trak II transfer case fluid. It's a nice blue color when new, turns to a brownish-green color with use. Whether you return to the dealership that did the transfer case service or take it elsewhere to have it checked out, is going to be a gut call on your part, how much trust you the dealership that did the service.

BlancoSilverado · January 31, 2020

1 hour ago, garagerog said:

I have an 05 K1500 and I can almost guarantee you that the blue fluid you're seeing is Auto-Trak II transfer case fluid. It's a nice blue color when new, turns to a brownish-green color with use. Whether you return to the dealership that did the transfer case service or take it elsewhere to have it checked out, is going to be a gut call on your part, how much trust you the dealership that did the service.

Blue fluid in an 04 is the autotrak fluid for the transfer case. I had to replace the rear housing because it was leaking so bad, the pump rub is real.